1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to jewelry, and more particularly to a jewelry device for holding articles such as money and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Money holders or money clips have been used for nearly as long as there has been paper currency. Many people prefer money clips over other conventional devices for storing currency such as wallets because the money clip does not increase substantially the amount of space required to store whatever amount of paper currency is being carried. This is particularly true of individuals who choose to carry their paper currency in pants pockets. Another preference perceived by some is that a money clip allows the paper currency to be displayed as it is being held in the money clip. This latter view nearly heightens the need for a decorative appearance for the money clip, and thus, the money clip or money holder is often considered a jewelry item.
Conventional money clips are relatively simple mechanical devices that are made from metal. The money clip typically has two arms, which when spread apart, provide a spring force tending to return the arms together. The most simple of money clips would be a bobby pin or a paper clip. However, due to the decorative or jewelry nature of the money clip, conventional money clips typically have a front or decorative face. This face can be decorated with jewels such as diamonds or a particular polished surface. The money clip would then hold the paper currency against the back of the decorative face.
While these conventional money clips have served their decorative or jewelry function, many of these clips do not achieve the primary function of holding the paper currency and cannot hold other objects such as credit cards. As a result, a person has the burden of carrying both a wallet and money clip to store their paper currency, credit cards, driver's license and the like. One drawback of conventional money clips is that the arms will eventually fail and lose their spring force to hold the paper currency. This failure is accelerated through the use of the clip to hold too large a thickness of paper currency. This loss of spring force is particularly critical in conventional money clips which concentrate the force at a relatively small area. Concentrating the force in such a small area makes it easier to insert and remove the paper currency from the money clip, but, as spring force is lost, makes it easier for the paper currency to be unintentionally dislodged from the money clip.